Juan Franco is an accomplished private equity executive and industrial leader with over two decades of experience driving growth, operational transformation, and cross-border investment across Latin America and Europe.
As Managing Partner of Atenea Capital, he leads strategic investments in logistics, services and critical-materials sectors.
Juan previously served as Managing Partner of Nexus Group, one of Latin America’s most respected private equity firms, where he oversaw a diverse portfolio spanning industrials, retail and education. During his tenure at Nexus Group, he also took managerial roles, such as being CEO of SMI Rigid Packaging with industrial operations in 10 countries. Earlier in his career, he held senior roles at J.P. Morgan advising Global Mining & Energy companies in their Latin American strategies, and Compañía Minera Atacocha, combining financial discipline with a deep understanding of industrial operations.
He currently serves on several international boards, including Oben Group, MedPlus, Rintisa, and Allied Graphite. Known for his pragmatic leadership and long-term perspective, Juan brings a global investor’s view to the Board, guiding Allied Graphite’s mission to deliver reliable, high-performance anode materials that strengthen the North American battery supply chain.
